Telecommunications Relay Service

The Federal Communications Commission requires that all local exchange
companies (LECs) offer Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS). What is TRS?
TRS allows people with hearing or speech disabilities to communicate
via the telephone. Communications assistants (CA), relay the content of
calls between users of teletypewriters (TTYs) and users of traditional
handsets (voice users). For example, a TTY user may telephone a voice
user by calling a TRS provider (or "relay center") where a CA will
place the call to the voice user and relay the conversation by
transcribing spoken content for the TTY user and reading text aloud for
the voice user.Does the law require TRS?
Yes, TRS is required by Title IV of the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA), and to the extent possible, must be "functionally equivalent" to
standard telephone services.When can telephone customers use TRS and how do they access the
service?
TRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the same as voice
service. People can access the TRS service by voice or text telephones
by dialing the TRS number for their state (which is often found in the
information section of phone directories). The TRS access number is
usually a toll-free number.Are calls made through TRS free of charge?
No, while the inbound call to the TRS center is a toll-free call, the
TRS users will be billed for the completed call to the party they ask
the TRS center to call through the relay, as if the TRS user had placed
the same call through the voice network. The TRS users will pay the
same rates as a voice telephone user for the same type of call. TRS
users cannot be charged extra because they are using TRS. How does a phone company provide TRS?
There are various telecommunications vendors that provide TRS service.
Your state has a contract with one of these vendors and a telephone
company goes through that vendor to set up the service. Sprint is the
largest provider of TRS in the United States.What is the function of a CA?
The function of the CA is to transliterate conversation from text to
voice and from voice to text. A CA is an employee of the TRS provider.Do CAs receive special training?
TRS providers are responsible for ensuring that CAs are sufficiently
trained to meet the communication needs of individuals with hearing and
speech disabilities, that CAs have competent skills in typing, grammar,
spelling, interpretation of typewritten American Sign Language (ASL),
and possess familiarity with hearing and speech disability cultures,
languages and etiquette.Can TRS customers be assured that their calls will remain
confidential?
Except as authorized by section 705 of the Communications Act, 47 U.S.C
605, CAs are prohibited from disclosing the content of any relayed
conversation regardless of content and from keeping records of the
content of any conversation beyond the duration of a call. CAs are also
prohibited from intentionally altering a relayed conversation and must
relay all conversation verbatim unless the relay user specifically
requests summarization. The exception to this would be if the relay
user was using the service for illegal purposes.What types of calls can people make with TRS?
Consistent with the obligations of common carrier operators, CAs are
prohibited from refusing single or sequential calls or limiting the
length of calls utilizing relay services. TRS shall be capable of
handling any type of call provided by common carriers. Providers of TRS
are permitted to decline to complete a call because credit
authorization is denied. Also, due to some technical difficulties with
completing calls made through coin telephones, TRS users, under an
alternative plan adopted by the industry, can currently make local TRS
calls through a coin phone free of charge. Toll calls made through a
coin phone can be made with a calling card or pre-paid phone card.How long does it take to process a TRS call?
TRS centers are required by FCC rules to have adequate staffing to
provide callers with efficient access under projected calling volumes.
Except during network failure, TRS must answer 85 percent of all calls
within 10 seconds, and no more than 30 seconds shall elapse between
receipt of dialing information and the dialing of the requested number.
Today, CAs use sophisticated terminal equipment to enhance call
delivery, and TRS providers may offer features such as "call profiling"
that hasten the call set-up times.How do customers obtain a Teletypewriter (TTY)?
Every state has a program in place for obtaining a TTY. Your telephone
company should have a state TRS number to give individuals who inquire
about a TTY phone. Generally, if individuals have the need for the TTY
they can get one at no charge.
How are TRS services funded?
Costs for intrastate TRS (i.e. TRS calls made within a state) are paid
by the states. The states usually recover intrastate TRS costs through
a very small surcharge applied to the telephone bills of all telephone
customers in a state. Costs for interstate TRS (that is, TRS calls that
cross state lines) are paid through the Interstate TRS Fund, a
shared-funding mechanism that is funded by contributions from all
interstate carriers in the United States. The National Exchange Carrier
Association (NECA) currently administers the Interstate TRS Fund.